If you have tickets for Book of Mormon it’s probably fair to assume you’re not easily offended, or quite enjoy humour which just about treads above the water of acceptability. Either that, or you just like laughing, which is certainly something you will do at this show.

The musical, created by South Park writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez, follows young Mormon missionaries from Utah as they are tasked with converting Ugandans to the Church of Latter Day Saints.

If you’ve seen Avenue Q, or Parker and Stone’s ‘Team America’, you will have an indication of what to expect at Sunderland Empire.

There is plenty of trademark South Parky humour from the off, and musicals are a medium which suit the comedy cartoon’s creators well.

The company of The Book of Mormon (Image: Paul Coltas)

It’s far easier to feel comfortable laughing at jokes about religion, serious illness or suppressing your true inner feelings, if it is put to song.

It’s even easier when the songs are delivered with Broadway polish, which Book of Mormon does superbly.

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What’s brilliant about Book of Mormon is how it merges daft, almost teenage humour, with criticisms of religion which make you think, all combined with the professionalism and staging of a Tony Award winning musical – which this show is.

The songs are a particular highlight. Again, if you’ve seen Team America, South Park or Avenue Q, you will recognise the style. You’ll find yourself tapping along, then realise what they’re singing about, and not quite believe you’re sat in the Empire theatre watching what is probably the most successful musical of recent times.

Nicole Lily Baiden and Conner Peirson in The Book of Mormon (Image: Paul Coltas)

Then you’ll look at the setting, staging, choreography and delivery, and realise why it is.

The cast managed to tailor the show for Sunderland and the current climate, with a very clever one-line Brexit gag, which went down a storm, as did Jacob Yarlett’s performance as Elder Cunningham.

The stand-in stole the show on the night, proving this cast has depth.

Another deputy, Patrick George, was deployed too, taking up the role of Church founder Joseph Smith. We didn’t know they were stand-ins, until we were told during the interval.

It’s a genuine coup to secure a Book of Mormon run in Sunderland, so if you can get tickets, make sure you see what the fuss is about.

*Tickets for Book of Mormon, which is running in Sunderland until September 14, are available in person from the Empire and online from ATG.